1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a mobile robot, more particularly to an apparatus for controlling actions of the mobile robot when a person is present nearby.
2. Background Art
A mobile robot may move and work in a space where people are present and therefore must avoid physical contact with people. There is known a technique to change the moving path of a robot when a person in a nearby location is detected, as taught, for example, by Japanese Patent No. 4171510.
The reference is configured to change the moving path based on the recognition that immediately changing the robot's behavior would evoke a change in the person's behavior, which would increase the likelihood of contact rather than lower it.